This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-065252, filed Mar. 8, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to, for example, an electronic device for a computer, and particularly to a cooling mechanism for cooling an electronic component incorporated in the electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in this technical field, increase of the processing speed and multiplication of functions have been promoted with respect to electronic components such as MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and the like which process a large amount of information such as texts, audio, images, and the like. As the processing speed of the MPU increases, the power consumption of the MPU increases so that the heat generation amount also increases. If the heat generation amount of the MPU increases, the heat generation amount of the entire electronic device also increases. If an electronic device generates heat, performance of other electronic components incorporated in the electronic device is damaged in some cases.
Conventionally, to reduce heat generation from the MPU as described above, a cooling mechanism for cooing the MPU is installed on the printed circuit board contained in the casing of the device.
As a cooling mechanism of this kind, for example, Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 8-303969 discloses a known cooling mechanism. In the following, the cooling mechanism disclosed in this publication will be explained.
The cooling mechanism includes a main heat receiver, two sub heat receivers, plurality of heat radiation fins, and two heat pipes. A plurality of semiconductor elements as cooling targets are provided in parallel in one surface of the main heat receiver having a rectangular plate-like shape. A plurality of heat radiation fins are provided to stand on the other surface of the main heat receiver. The first sub heat receiver having a rectangular plate-like shape is provided in parallel with the main heat receiver at the top ends of the plurality of heat radiation fins. Further, a plurality of heat radiation fins are provided to stand on the first sub heat receive. The second sub heat receiver is provided in parallel with the main heat receiver, at the top ends of the plurality of heat radiation fins. Further, a plurality of heat radiation fins are provided to stand on the opposite surface of the second sub heat receiver. An end of the first heat pipe extends penetrating through the main heat receiver, and the other end thereof extends penetrating through the first sub heat receiver. An end of the second heat pipe extends penetrating through the heat receiver, and the other end thereof extends penetrating through the second sub heat receiver.
Heat from the semiconductor element is conducted to the main heat receiver and also to the first and second sub heat receivers through two heat pipes. The heat conducted to the heat receivers is conducted to the plurality of heat radiation fins. The heat thus conducted to the plurality of heat radiation fins are radiated out by supplying air to the heat radiation fins.
In this cooling mechanism, however, undesired heat generated as described above, which is caused by increase of the processing speed of the MPU and has come to be a drawback, cannot be sufficiently radiated. A problem has hence arisen in that the temperature inside the casing of the electronic device increases due to heat generation from electronic devices, and damages the performance of the other electronic components.
The present invention has an object of providing a cooling mechanism capable of efficiently radiating heat generated from electronic components, and an electronic device comprising the cooling mechanism.
An apparatus according to the present invention is provided to cool an electronic component mounted on a printed circuit board, and comprises: a heat radiation member having a base and a plurality of heat radiation fins provided and standing integrally on the base, the base thermally contacting the electronic component; a duct member contacting top ends of the plurality of heat radiation fins which are distant from the base, for flowing air through the plurality of heat radiation fins; and a heat pipe connecting the duct member and the base such that heat can be conducted.
An electronic device according to the present invention has a casing including a printed circuit board mounting an electronic component, and an apparatus for cooling the electronic component, wherein the apparatus comprises: a heat radiation member having a base and a plurality of heat radiation fins provided and standing integrally on the base, the base thermally contacting the electronic component; a duct member contacting top ends of the plurality of heat radiation fins which are distant from the base, for flowing air through the plurality of heat radiation fins; and a heat pipe connecting the duct member and the base such that heat can be conducted.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.